During the first week of January 2002, while Megadeth was on hiatus, in Texas, I suffered an injury that caused severe nerve damage to my left arm and hand. It was diagnosed as Radial Neuropathy - specifically, a "compressed radial nerve." My doctors tell me it will take about a year to make as complete a recovery as I can, and even then, we don't know how complete that is going to be. I am working hard with a great team of doctors and physical therapists daily, and God willing, someday I hope to play guitar again.

In the meantime, while I work on rebuilding my arm, I will take this opportunity to reappraise my career and my future. For the time being I have decided to exit Megadeth, and explore other areas of the music business where I might make a contribution without being able to play my instrument.

I have had a terrific time singing and playing for you while I was in Megadeth. I am truly grateful for all of the numerous Gold, Platinum, and Multi-Platinum Records I have been awarded, as well as the many International Record Awards. And I can never thank you, our fans past and present, enough for your loyalty and affection over the years.

My immediate goals now are to do what I can to make something good come out of this terrible situation. First and foremost, I want to use this opportunity to devote more time, energy and attention to my wife Pam and my two children, Justis and Electra. Pam has done a wonderful job carrying the load while I was a long-distance husband and father in the studio or criss-crossing the world on tour, but in terms of being a Gold or Platinum parent, I have a long way to go, and I'm eager to get started.

In closing I would like to depart with the beautiful French words I wrote on the record Youthanasia: "A tout le monde, a tous mes amis, Je vous aime, Je dois partir." (To all the world, to all my friends. I love you, I have to leave)

Ack. Now one of the last "true" metal bands has apparently bit the dust. With Mustaine's injury, James Hetfield's rehab from alcohol and drug abuse, and Jason Newstead leaving Metallica, is traditional metal as we know it dead?

"Traditional metal" really "died" after Metallica's black album was released. With the MTV advent of the "alternative music boom," even Metallica was forced to change their sound, look and style to "fit in" with a permanently changed musical/video landscape where their traditional sound was no longer "acceptable" by the mainstream they were so desperately trying to appeal to at that point. I point to the "Load" album as evidence. They did things they said they'd "never" do from then on and it's just not been the same. Anyone who says they didn't change is most likely in denial.

i'm no great metal fun but i'm bummed about the demise of megadeth. mustaine's fingering hand has to be 100% to play that stuff. it's best he's not trying to fool anyone.

bring on the boxed sets and unreleased material!

i stopped listening to metallica after "...and justice for all" so i missed out on the black album and load stuff. justice was a peak for them though. it was their version of U2's "rattle and hum" - the sound couldn't really go anywhere else.

Originally posted by Notorious F.A.B.justice was a peak for them though. it was their version of U2's "rattle and hum" - the sound couldn't really go anywhere else.

Not to split hairs here or be argumentative, but The Joshua Tree is considered U2's peak by most (myself included). Rattle and Hum was a film made about the concert tour that supported the Joshua Tree album.

Is traditional metal dead? With bands like Iced Earth, Black Label Society and Nevermore still out there, metal is just getting ready for another golden age...not to mention the great bands from metal sub-genres like In Flames, Children of Bodom, and Blind Guardian.

During the first week of January 2002, while Megadeth was on hiatus, in Texas, I suffered an injury that caused severe nerve damage to my left arm and hand. It was diagnosed as Radial Neuropathy - specifically, a "compressed radial nerve." My doctors tell me it will take about a year to make as complete a recovery as I can, and even then, we don't know how complete that is going to be. I am working hard with a great team of doctors and physical therapists daily, and God willing, someday I hope to play guitar again.

In the meantime, while I work on rebuilding my arm, I will take this opportunity to reappraise my career and my future. For the time being I have decided to exit Megadeth, and explore other areas of the music business where I might make a contribution without being able to play my instrument.

I have had a terrific time singing and playing for you while I was in Megadeth. I am truly grateful for all of the numerous Gold, Platinum, and Multi-Platinum Records I have been awarded, as well as the many International Record Awards. And I can never thank you, our fans past and present, enough for your loyalty and affection over the years.

My immediate goals now are to do what I can to make something good come out of this terrible situation. First and foremost, I want to use this opportunity to devote more time, energy and attention to my wife Pam and my two children, Justis and Electra. Pam has done a wonderful job carrying the load while I was a long-distance husband and father in the studio or criss-crossing the world on tour, but in terms of being a Gold or Platinum parent, I have a long way to go, and I'm eager to get started.

In closing I would like to depart with the beautiful French words I wrote on the record Youthanasia: "A tout le monde, a tous mes amis, Je vous aime, Je dois partir." (To all the world, to all my friends. I love you, I have to leave)

Dave Mustaine

April 3rd, 2002

---------------------------------------------------------

Ack. Now one of the last "true" metal bands has apparently bit the dust. With Mustaine's injury, James Hetfield's rehab from alcohol and drug abuse, and Jason Newstead leaving Metallica, is traditional metal as we know it dead?

It's really sad to see them go. Then again, you wonder if Megadeth could live on with another lead vocalist? While Megadeth had some killer riffs and some of the Marty Friedman / Al Pitrelli solos were amazing, Dave Mustaine was never really a good singer.

With a new front man and some good covers of their post - Countdown to Extinction stuff this band could build an absolutely massive following. Mustaine's lyrics,a t their best, match it with most of what U2 can produce.

Don't get me wrong, I'm actually a big Megadeth fan, but... most of the songs aren't really as good as U2 songs.

(edited by Guru Zim on 11.4.02 1233)

If you want to pan their lyrics, why not pick a song that has political meaning rather than a more lighthearted one about skydiving? I mean it would be like saying that: "A mole digging in a hoel digging in my soul... excavation" is the best that U2 can come up with!

Lets start by looking at some fo the other songs off that same album:

SYMPHONY OF DESTRUCTION"You take a mortal manand put him in controlWatch him bcome a G-dwhen people's heads are rolledJust like a pied piperlead rats through the streetsWe dance like marionettesswaying to symphony of destruction"

A song very critical of absolute power being held by one person. Concentrate too much power in a "mortal man" - a Joe off the street and he will lead his people to their death like the pied piper lead rats.

FORECLOSURE OF A DREAM"Rise so high yet so far to fallA plan of dignity and balance for allPolitical breakthrough euphoria's highMore borrowed money more borrowed timeTrapped in a corner caught up in a raceA means to an end ended in disgraceAnd all perspective is lost in the spirit of the chase..."

A song about revolution gone bad, or why socialist revolution is almost always doomed to failure. How the end = a utopia - doesn't justify the means, and in some cases the end is forgotten along the way. Again, a lyrical masterpiece by Mustaine.

COUNTDOWN TO EXTINCTION"Endangered species caged in frightShot in cold blood no chance to fightThe stage is set now pay the prieAn ego boost, don't think twiceTechnology; the battle's unfairYou pull the hammer without a careKilled a few feet from the cages Point blank, you're so corrageous

All are gone, all but oneNo contest; nowhere to runAll are gone, all but oneThis is it. This is the Countdown to Extinction

..."

Another lyrically brilliant song about how humans unfairly kill animals, making the 'survival of the fittest' an unfair battle because of man's huge technological advantage.

ASHES IN YOUR MOUTH"People have round shoulders from fairing heavy loadsAnd the soldiers 'liberate' them, laying mines along their roadsSorrow paid for valor is too much to recallOf the countless corpses piled up along the wailing wall

Melting down all metals, turning plows and shears to swordsShun words of the Bible, we need implements of warChalklines and red puddles of those who have been slainDestiny, that crooked schemer, says the dead shall rise again

Where do we go from here?And should we really care?The end is finally here,G-d have mercy!

Now we've rewritten historyThe one thing we've found outSweet taste of vindicationIt turns to ashes in your mouth

..."

This song captures in its lyrics the realization of the tradgedy of war, even after victory. When the "sweet taste of vindication turns to ashes in your mouth". How people shun religion ("Shun words of the Bible") to fight a battle justified by liberating people,a nd yet with mines along their roads life is worse. How religion is used to justify war ("...the dead shall rise again") and yet the actions and results of war absolutely shun its principles ("countless corpses piled up along the wailing wall").

ARCHITECTURE OF AGRESSION"Born from the dark,In the black cloak of nightTo envelop its prey below,Deliver to the lightTo eliminate your enemy,Hit them in their sleep,And when all is won and lost,The spoils of wars are yours to keep

ChorusGreat nations built from the bones of the dead,With mud and straw, blood and sweat,You own the world when your enemiesPraise your architecture of aggression!

..."

Again, another song about the real nature of war. When your army is so strong that even your enemies praise it you can moe into any battle you like and keep the spoils - more or less the position the USA is in now.

I would analyze more but you get the point. And I'll re-itterate the point that Dave Mustaine is one of the best lyricists in the world. And if you are a Megadeth fan it might pay to open up the song book, read, and think about the meanings of the songs that he's singing about. Most of them have a lot of meaning at several levels.

They have (had ?) their downsides, as I said earlier Dave Mustaine's singing is one of them. But their lyrics aren't. And I'm sure if you got a new lead vocalist and a half decent lead guitarist, and promoted them right, they would enjoy absolutely huge success.

The following is pretty much a bad poem everyone wrote in high school at one point.

This Was My Life

It was just another day It was just another fight It was words strung into sentences It was doomed to not be right There is something wrong with me There is something wrong with you There is nothing left of us There is one thing I can do

Lying on your bed, Examining my head This is the part of me that hates Paybacks are a bitch I throw the switch Somewhere an electric chair awaits Hey! This was my life Hey! This was my fate

This was the wrong thing to do This was the wrong one to be doing This was the road to destiny This was the road to my ruin

Now there's motives for the suspect Now there's nothing left to say Now there's method to the madness Now there's society to pay

In our life there's if In our beliefs there's lie In our business there's sin In our bodies there's die

This was my life This was my fate

Here is High Speed Dirt, which I contend is more about jumping from a plane to your death, than about sky diving. I think the phrase "I'm a dirt torpedo" clears up where he was going with this song.

High Speed Dirt

Do it if you dare Leaping from the sky Hurling thru the air Exhilarating high See the earth below Soon to make a crater Blue sky, black death I'm off to meet my maker Energy of the gods, adrenalin surge Won't stop til I hit the ground, I'm on my way for sure Up here in the air, this will never hurt I'm on my way to impact, taste the high speed dirt

Paralyzed with fear Feel velocity gain Entering a near Catatonic state Pressure of the sound Roaring thru my head Crash into the ground Damned if I'll be dead

Jump or die!

Dropping all my weight Going down full throttle The pale horse awaits Like a genie in a bottle Fire in my veins Faster as I go I forgot my name I'm a dirt torpedo

High speed dirt...

And finally, I think I can make my point with Psychotron. What the hell is this song even about? A Science fiction metal song? Sorry, it doesn't do it for me in terms of great lyrics.

Psychotron

Assassin in stealth Assailant from Hell Impervious to damage Computer on-board Engaged in a war Non-stop combatant Maybe not a mutant, maybe a man Part bionic And organic Not a cyborg Call him Psychotron

The following is pretty much a bad poem everyone wrote in high school at one point.

This Was My Life

It was just another day It was just another fight It was words strung into sentences It was doomed to not be right There is something wrong with me There is something wrong with you There is nothing left of us There is one thing I can do

Lying on your bed, Examining my head This is the part of me that hates Paybacks are a bitch I throw the switch Somewhere an electric chair awaits Hey! This was my life Hey! This was my fate

This was the wrong thing to do This was the wrong one to be doing This was the road to destiny This was the road to my ruin

Now there's motives for the suspect Now there's nothing left to say Now there's method to the madness Now there's society to pay

In our life there's if In our beliefs there's lie In our business there's sin In our bodies there's die

This was my life This was my fate

Here is High Speed Dirt, which I contend is more about jumping from a plane to your death, than about sky diving. I think the phrase "I'm a dirt torpedo" clears up where he was going with this song.

High Speed Dirt

Do it if you dare Leaping from the sky Hurling thru the air Exhilarating high See the earth below Soon to make a crater Blue sky, black death I'm off to meet my maker Energy of the gods, adrenalin surge Won't stop til I hit the ground, I'm on my way for sure Up here in the air, this will never hurt I'm on my way to impact, taste the high speed dirt

Paralyzed with fear Feel velocity gain Entering a near Catatonic state Pressure of the sound Roaring thru my head Crash into the ground Damned if I'll be dead

Jump or die!

Dropping all my weight Going down full throttle The pale horse awaits Like a genie in a bottle Fire in my veins Faster as I go I forgot my name I'm a dirt torpedo

High speed dirt...

And finally, I think I can make my point with Psychotron. What the hell is this song even about? A Science fiction metal song? Sorry, it doesn't do it for me in terms of great lyrics.

Psychotron

Assassin in stealth Assailant from Hell Impervious to damage Computer on-board Engaged in a war Non-stop combatant Maybe not a mutant, maybe a man Part bionic And organic Not a cyborg Call him Psychotron

Target to destroy Arms in employ Full assault fire threat Sensors indicate You will terminate Life systems disconnect

Psychotron

Let me reiterate here... I am really truly a fan of Megadeth. You have to realize though, that in the scheme of things, they wrote more bad songs than good.

Don't feel bad. Even the Beatles had Rocky Raccoon. I still like them too

Well look, Zim, no-one thinks about politics 24 / 7. Note even George W. Bush. Not Bill Clinton. Mussolini didn't. Neither did Che Guevara or Lenin. No-one on either side of politics, and it is / was their job.

And between 10 studio albums ("Killing is my Business", "Peace Sells", "So Far So Good", "Rust in Peace", "Countdown to Extinction", "Youthanasia", "Hidden Treasures", "Cryptic Writings", "Risk", "The World Needs a Hero"; I'm not counting any of the live albums, the re-release of KIMB or Capitol Punishment here) you will have some absolute shit. But for every piece of shit there is just as much lyrical brilliance.

It would be amazing if they could fill 10 albums with war and political lyrics, but then again people don't think about war and politics 24 / 7.

With High Speed Dirt, the song was written when Dave Mustaine was kicking speed and other bad habbits, and was lookign for a new high; so he took up sky diving. Part of the rush of sky diving is that you are dropping from a plane, possibly to you death; and it's a fear that's always there.

And I'm guessing the story behind Psychotron was that Marty Friedman and Dave Mustaine had some futuristic riffs for which they needed lyrics for.

Most of Dave's lyrics are either hit or miss, silly crap or something quite good.

Comparing U2 to Megadeth is like comparing apples and oranges. U2 is mainly pop-rock(although I'm not a fan, so maybe I'm wrong), and the bulk of Megadeth's music is thrash metal. Also, may I point out, being thrash metal, the lyrics are not that important. If someone listens to thrash for the lyrics, then they are missing the point.

Originally posted by AJ_Levy:Then again, you wonder if Megadeth could live on with another lead vocalist? While Megadeth had some killer riffs and some of the Marty Friedman / Al Pitrelli solos were amazing, Dave Mustaine was never really a good singer.

The problem with that is the idea that Dave Mustaine IS Megadeth. The band was his way of getting back at Metallica for kicking him out shortly before recording and releasing "Kill 'Em All." Megadeth without Dave Mustaine's kinda like Creedence Clearwater Revisited (read: CCR without John Fogerty) - both really don't work that well.

Also, word has it that guitarist Al Pitrelli has already rejoined his old band, Savatage.

Originally posted by Papercuts:"Traditional metal" really "died" after Metallica's black album was released.

Did it really, though? While, in retrospect, 1991 and 1992 were metal's proverbial last breath, I see it as more of an evolution. While Metallica essentially gave up on most of its speed metal roots, it was still better than 99% of the stuff out there. I don't think you start to see Metalliac hit the shitter until "Chode," er, I mean, "Load."

Also, look at "Countdown to Extinction," released in 1992. Perhaps it wasn't as blazingly fast or aggressive at prior albums, but Megadeth's sound evolved into an (admittedly) more commercial sound that still maintained most of the aggression and chops.

That's why you have bands like Megadeth and Metallica surviving well into the 90s, while other bands like Slaughter and Trixter and Firehouse ate the big one, yo.

Also, I guess I define "traditional metal" as the sounds of 80s metal, in all its various forms. What passes for metal today seems to lack some of the melody and chops of years gone by.

Originally posted by P-Man:Is traditional metal dead? With bands like Iced Earth, Black Label Society and Nevermore still out there, metal is just getting ready for another golden age...not to mention the great bands from metal sub-genres like In Flames, Children of Bodom, and Blind Guardian.

I'm completely unfamiliar with all of the above - with the sole exception of Black Label Society, which I know is Zakk Wylde's (Ozzy's guitarist) band. Never heard any of the music, though - hope it's not the same nu-metal crap that's flooding the airwaves.

No RageRockrr, the bands I mentioned are 100% NOT this nu-metal mallcore crap. Iced Earth is pretty much a combination of Iron Maiden and old Metallica, Black Label Society has a southern metal sound going, Nevermore is psychotic sounding thrash with a singer who sounds like Geoff Tate on a killing spree, In Flames puts out very melodic and yet very heavy music with a black metal(which means he screams as if he was getting tortured)singer, Children of Bodom have the thrash/death metal sound with a heavy keyboard presence, and Blind Guardian are power metal, with the dragons and wizards theme. Iced Earth is the best of the bunch.

Originally posted by RageRockrrDid it really, though? While, in retrospect, 1991 and 1992 were metal's proverbial last breath, I see it as more of an evolution. While Metallica essentially gave up on most of its speed metal roots, it was still better than 99% of the stuff out there. I don't think you start to see Metalliac hit the shitter until "Chode," er, I mean, "Load."

Uh, Load followed The Black Album. In other words, they hit the shitter after the Black Album. Traiditional metal read the writing on the wall and moved to a more "alternative" sound, hoping they'd be able to fit in with the Nirvanas and Alice In Chains of the world. Megadeath did the same thing. Part of their statement on this always was "We grew up." And while I'm sure that was part of the equation involved in the change, I know full well Metallica is run like a business. Not adapting to the current sound would have been bad business.that's why you have bands like Megadeth and Metallica surviving well into the 90s, while other bands like Slaughter and Trixter and Firehouse ate the big one. No, those three bands "ate the big one" because they were signed at the end of the pop hair metal craze Def Leppard was responsible for, after all the other bands had been signed and the "scenes" had been milked dry. And America realized they really weren't that good. The same argument can be made about the "alternative" scene. You had bands like Seaweed, for example, who had been together maybe a week and were signed simply because they were from Seattle. All the while a band like Dead Moon, who's been around for 15 or 20 years -- and one of Pearl Jam's influences -- still struggles in obscurity. Check out the documentary "Hype!" for a closer look at this phenomenon. It's not just exclusive to the alternative scene. The film will give you somewhat of a better understanding of how blind and bumbling (for lack of a better term) the music industry really is.

Uh, Load followed The Black Album. In other words, they hit the shitter after the Black Album.

Then I misinterpreted what you said earlier. We're both on the same page here.

Traiditional metal read the writing on the wall and moved to a more "alternative" sound, hoping they'd be able to fit in with the Nirvanas and Alice In Chains of the world. Megadeath did the same thing. Part of their statement on this always was "We grew up." And while I'm sure that was part of the equation involved in the change, I know full well Metallica is run like a business. Not adapting to the current sound would have been bad business.

I think my problems with this statement are the following:1 - Define "alternative."2 - While I'm not sure I could define "alternative" as applied to the music business, I'd give examples of what I consider to be alternative artists: Rage Against the Machine, Nine Inch Nails, and Garbage, to name a few. Basically, I consider them to be artists that don't fit neatly into whatever terms the biz is using for genres.3 - Unless I'm totally misinterpreting what you're saying, repeat the following phrase with me:"The Black Album is not 'alternative.' The Black Album is not 'alternative.' The Black Album is not 'alternative.'"Bob Rock produced the Black Album. This is the same guy that produced "Sonic Temple" by the Cult and "Dr. Feelgood" by Motley Crue. While I'll concede that "Chode" definitely moves into sounds with grunge and what might be considered "alternative," the Black Album sounds too much like "Sonic Temple" and "Dr. Feelgood" (great hard rock albums) for me to consider it "alternative."

Same thing with Megadeth. I'm not sure I'd call "Countdown to Extinction" an "alternative" record.

No, those three bands (Slaughter, Trixter, Firehouse) "ate the big one" because they were signed at the end of the pop hair metal craze Def Leppard was responsible for, after all the other bands had been signed and the "scenes" had been milked dry. And America realized they really weren't that good.

I think we're saying the same thing again here, just for different reasons. You're saying they sucked because it was the biz scrapping the bottom of the barrel. I'm saying they sucked because they couldn't do anything interesting after one album or one song.

Check out the documentary "Hype!" for a closer look at this phenomenon. It's not just exclusive to the alternative scene. The film will give you somewhat of a better understanding of how blind and bumbling (for lack of a better term) the music industry really is.

I've got a music business degree and I used to work in the biz before I went to law school. Believe me, I know how fucked up it is. Oh, to go on a total tangent and respond to a different post:Originally posted by Acrid:

B.t.w, didn't anybody like Youthansia? Or Risk?

I listened to Youthanasia once, and never played it again. Never bought Risk, but I didn't really like "Crush 'Em," so that kinda persuaded me not to get the album. IMHO, "Countdown" and "Cryptic Writings" are much better albums. Even "The World Needs A Hero" is a better album.

Originally posted by RageRockrrI think my problems with this statement are the following:1 - Define "alternative."2 - While I'm not sure I could define "alternative" as applied to the music business,

We are saying the same things here. As for the whole "alternative" thing, I was going by the "MTV" definition, since we're talking mainstream mentality here. You know, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Dinosaur Jr., RATM and the like. I HATE HATE HATE the phrase "alternative" when it comes to music. It's all rock and roll to me.

Originally posted by RageRockrrUnless I'm totally misinterpreting what you're saying, repeat the following phrase with me: "The Black Album is not 'alternative.'

Just misunderstanding. No biggie. Like I said, we're saying the same thing. I never implied the Black album was alternative. I WAS, however, implying that Load is Metallica's attempt at being "alternative."

Originally posted by RageRockrrI'm not sure I'd call "Countdown to Extinction" an "alternative" record.

Nor would I. Everything after, though, is certainly an attempt to move into that vein.

Originally posted by RageRockrrI think we're saying the same thing again here, just for different reasons.

Yep. High five. :)

Originally posted by RageRockrr I've got a music business degree and I used to work in the biz before I went to law school.

That's awesome! I worked heavily in music journalism for about four years and worked closely with a number of bands, too.